Karla Freeman

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

KARLA FREEMAN, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Since 1972, Karla Freeman has devoted her career as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), to raising awareness and developing programs on cutting-edge psychological themes of our time, including personal empowerment, body-centered psychotherapy and creating magic in midlife.

She maintains a private practice in Santa Barbara, California and serves on the Adult Education psychology faculty at Santa Barbara City College.

Karla facilitates national and international workshops and seminars on topics including "Creating Magic in Midlife," "Reinventing Retirement," "Mind-Body Therapy," "Healing from Trauma" and "Overcoming Guilt About Aging Parents."

In 1995, Karla traveled to India, documenting stories of elders in the exile community of Tibetan Buddhists. Upon returning to the United States, she produced a video, study guide and lecture series entitled "Who are Tibetan Elders and What Do They Have to Offer Us?" She also produced the internationally reviewed "My Challenge with Alzheimer's Disease," the first video to give the point of view of a patient living with Alzheimer's. Karla also hosted a talk show on KCSB public radio. She is the author of many articles and the book Creating Magic in Midlife. Karla is committed to providing compassion and enlightenment to everyone she interacts with-personally and professionally.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Karla received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Brooklyn College. She served as an elementary school teacher for four years before returning to post-graduate work at Fordham University's prestigious School of Social Service where she was awarded a Masters in Social Work. Her advanced training includes five years of psychoanalytic psychotherapy coursework at the Training Institute for Mental Health in New York City as well as gestalt therapy training at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. Karla has also obtained her Body-Centered Psychotherapy certification from the Radix Institute in Ojai, California. She is a graduate of the three-year Somatic Experiencing Program in trauma healing developed by Dr. Peter Levine.